1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the growth of carbon nanotubes. More specifically, the invention is a method of growing carbon nanotubes in a template to provide for uniformly-dimensioned carbon nanotubes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since their discovery in 1991, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted significant attention due to their unique electronic, mechanical, and chemical properties. Their electronic and chemical properties give CNTs the potential for a wide range of novel applications to include advanced scanning probes, electron field emission sources, hydrogen storage materials, and building blocks of molecular electronics. CNTs' extraordinary mechanical properties make them ideal candidates for use as reinforcing fibers in nanocomposites.
Unfortunately, while there are many advantages to using CNTs, there are also several problems associated with their fabrication (i.e., synthesis). The main problems are that current CNT synthesis methods cannot produce large quantities of CNTs with consistent quality that is defined by substantially uniform length and diameter, since both length and diameter of CNTs affect the properties and/or behavior of the CNTs. More specifically, CNT length can affect mechanical properties of materials the CNTs are supposed to reinforce, while CNT diameters influence electrical characteristics of the CNTs. Another problem associated with current CNT synthesis methods is that the CNTs grow together in bundles and prefer to agglomerate rather than disperse in a matrix, thereby reducing their effectiveness as a mechanical reinforcement.
To overcome some of these fabrication problems, developers have tried to use templates to control CNT growth. However, the various template growth methods have been unable to achieve individual and separated CNTs of uniform length and diameter at a reasonable cost. Further, some templating materials/methods contaminate the CNTs during the growth thereof so that the ultimate CNTs are not pure.